Pre-release thread: THE iDOLM@STER: Platinum Stars

[MetalPredat0r]

... But it did give us a few juicy morsels to party on. Rendering engine is different - my memory might be a little fuzzy, but I remember a more pastel look. I remember thinking it looks slightly hand-drawn - edges were softer, but had some texture to them and I thought I saw a paper-like texture being (very faintly) blended on to the scene. Think Valkyria Chronicles, but not as dramatic.

Imagining it right now and if it looks like what I just pictured in my head, then wow this game is gonna look good. I give this generation credit, graphics in so many returning franchises have never looked so good!

I just wish they'd give us people not at the live some sort of teaser. Even in Japan not all of the fans could go to the live.

Although the Gematsu article said there are no plans, I doubt that'll be the case. You can't just tease the next big title and only show it behind closed doors. Gives a slight sense of false hype for those that haven't seen it.

I would rather want to produce those three as one unit (like iM@S 2's RK chapter) than have Namco pull a RK and not have them produce-able at all. I would actually be legitimately upset if I can't produce Hibiki

Namco isn't gonna split up characters from the main cast and make them unproducable again. After 9/18, they would be flat-out idiotic to try something like that again.

[Nayre]

You'd really rather write a character out of the game than have them change their seiyuu? Really? I thought the Azumin thing was hilariously overblown so if Ritsuko or someone else gets a new seiyuu I'll be like... "Oh, what a shame", and move on.

Ah...I just realized I may I have gone a bit far with that remark.(I said it without really thinking)  But yeah, even though I care for the seiyuus as much as our idols I don't wish that for any of the girls.  But like their seiyuus who may inevitably want to retire someday, I'd want to see them being
able to move on at some point.(passing the torch thing)  They really deserve it after all, instead of repeatedly given new VAs whenever the old one retires being stuck in some neverending cycle.(poor Ash Ketchum)

Imagining it right now and if it looks like what I just pictured in my head, then wow this game is gonna look good. I give this generation credit, graphics in so many returning franchises have never looked so good!

Although the Gematsu article said there are no plans, I doubt that'll be the case. You can't just tease the next big title and only show it behind closed doors. Gives a slight sense of false hype for those that haven't seen it.

Namco isn't gonna split up characters from the main cast and make them unproducable again. After 9/18, they would be flat-out idiotic to try something like that again.

I'm having a hard time imagining what this "pastel" texture is like, can you give examples of other games I can look up?

[MetalPredat0r]

I'm having a hard time imagining what this "pastel" texture is like, can you give examples of other games I can look up?

Cael said that the look is reminiscent of Valkyria Chronicles. I took that, applied that visual style to iM@S and there ya go.

[Scotty]

... But it did give us a few juicy morsels to party on. Rendering engine is different - my memory might be a little fuzzy, but I remember a more pastel look. I remember thinking it looks slightly hand-drawn - edges were softer, but had some texture to them and I thought I saw a paper-like texture being (very faintly) blended on to the scene. Think Valkyria Chronicles, but not as dramatic.

The models didn't look reused, even if they look kinda the same. Heck, they could have altered the ones from OFA for all I know, but they seem fresh.

Would you say the visuals look similar to that terrible CG mobile game?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HNSwfi4DEw

[Logan]

I hope it has a big cast if only because I really like playing with how certain groupings sound together and having ML or CG girls thrown in would make that a lot more fun :x

[animagic4u]

Amen, Logan, amen!

Coming from 10th live I can say, having the iDOLM@STER three stars together on stage is perfect.

[MetalPredat0r]

I hope it has a big cast if only because I really like playing with how certain groupings sound together and having ML or CG girls thrown in would make that a lot more fun :x

This. So much this. As for if it'll actually happen is doubtful, but I would love to see this so bad! At least add some ML characters and give them story routes alongside the main 13.

[Naryoril]

They showed the trailer again today. In i could spot Yukiho's silhouette, yay!

[Cael K.]

Actually, you know what? I made a mistake here. The monitor the game was being shown on had its own graininess - I mistook this for a graphical effect. Whoops. I guess that's why I thought the paper effect was pretty slight. I was just looking at the LEDs on the monitor and their differing stages of burnout. ^_^;

We're still dealing with a softer color palette though. Shades are slightly pastely, and shadows and edges are softer, at least from what we've seen.

Would you say the visuals look similar to that terrible CG mobile game?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HNSwfi4DEw

Well, Im@s has a sort of style with their models, but other than that, it's not like it was a poor man's PS4 rendering engine or anything. Although, the colors in that trailer are pretty bright, whereas the colors in the trailer were largely earthy colors, so it's hard to compare.

[suzushinayuriko]

Now that OFA is done, some things I'd like to see for what I assume is IDOLM@STER 3:

1. Better animations, shading, and physics. I love Takane, but sometimes her hair really bothers me because it moves like one giant mass. Not to mention her bangs get stuck and clip through it at random intervals. I'd really like it if they'd fix clipping in general. Also, I hope none of the songs will ever have 9:02pm's terrible lipsyncing (why didn't they fix that for OFA?).

Apparently it's going to be a new pastel style? Fingers are crossed.

2. Hairstyles. Seriously, this Marionette video was a tease.

3. More control over stage effects. Give the option to turn off audience cheering for all stages.

4. New default outfits. I still like the ones we have, but they've been there for what, five years now?

5. Option to take off accessories that come with costumes.

6. Quartets. Not really sure why they weren't possible, just remove lead idol like in duos.

7. Songs that weren't released in OFA to be defaults. Examples would be Tonari ni and Futari no Kioku when they weren't available in 2. I'm honestly shocked Aoi Tori was never released considering it was featured pretty heavily in the anime.

[Chihayaa]

6. Quartets. Not really sure why they weren't possible, just remove lead idol like in duos.

This would be a dream come true for me.

[DeviantProtagonist]

Better animations, shading, and physics. I love Takane, but sometimes her hair really bothers me because it moves like one giant mass. Not to mention her bangs get stuck and clip through it at random intervals. I'd really like it if they'd fix clipping in general. Also, I hope none of the songs will ever have 9:02pm's terrible lipsyncing (why didn't they fix that for OFA?).

Apparently it's going to be a new pastel style? Fingers are crossed.

I'd deem this given due to PS4, but lip synching's still prone to error. I'll also give emphasis to shoddy hair animations -- Miki gets it especially bad, what with it being more like squid than actual hair.

2. Hairstyles. Seriously, this Marionette video was a tease.

Quite. I'd love myself some sidetail Chihaya and twintail Yukiho. As is, I'm already content with hairbun Ricchan~. :3

3. More control over stage effects. Give the option to turn off audience cheering for all stages.

Disabling the audience cheer would be nice for MMDs or covers. In addition, why not hope for custom vocals? L4U did that nicely.

4. New default outfits. I still like the ones we have, but they've been there for what, five years now?

I don't mind the iconic look, yet it's a safe assumption they'll be different in some way come PS4 iM@S -- whether as a minor update as was in OfA or something else entirely as would be a 3rd Vision.

5. Option to take off accessories that come with costumes.

Would be a nice bonus, if only because this was the ultimate downfall of Teatime Happiness. Seriously, how does this shit work?

6. Quartets. Not really sure why they weren't possible, just remove lead idol like in duos.

Aye, quartets would add a completeness for options. It could easily work going by that idol lead removal logic, too.

7. Songs that weren't released in OFA to be defaults. Examples would be Tonari ni and Futari no Kioku when they weren't available in 2. I'm honestly shocked Aoi Tori was never released considering it was featured pretty heavily in the anime.

Considering Aoi Tori's such a tease, I'm thinking it'll at least hold relevance in PS4 iM@S as a throwback song to help sell the game.

[animagic4u]

Bring back song vocal editing, god damnit. That was one of my favorite features from the original games.

4. New default outfits. I still like the ones we have, but they've been there for what, five years now?

...

6. Quartets. Not really sure why they weren't possible, just remove lead idol like in duos.

7. Songs that weren't released in OFA to be defaults. Examples would be Tonari ni and Futari no Kioku when they weren't available in 2. I'm honestly shocked Aoi Tori was never released considering it was featured pretty heavily in the anime.

New defaults = Already done. Haruka's outfit in the trailer wasn't anything I've ever seen before.
Edit: Oh I thought you meant casuals, but now I realize you probably mean stage costumes.
The silhouettes seemed to be different so I think they'll be interesting!

Quartets could work like duos except it might be an awkward challenge to work out how vocals are divided up in a quartet.
There are possible options, they'd just have to be figured out.

Aoi Tori is old, so I doubt they'll bring it in again except for DLC.
Tonari Ni and Futari no Kioku would be nice, but I hope they'll release some new songs as the default set list.

[Okayu]

Personally I'd like to see the OFA DLC solo songs as the new default list, similar to how SP did.
Either that or the songs used in shiny festa, as long as it's not SP's set list yet again.
I'd like to hear other versions of songs like Pon de Beach and Koi Kokoro. Saihyou would be the new Yayoi tori, Triple Angel would be used for Chihaya teasing, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss9WzohUse8
http://www.project-imas.com/wiki/Triple_Angel

[Maka]

Personally I'd like to see the OFA DLC solo songs as the new default list, similar to how SP did.
Either that or the songs used in shiny festa, as long as it's not SP's set list yet again.
I'd like to hear other versions of songs like Pon de Beach and Koi Kokoro. Saihyou would be the new Yayoi tori, Triple Angel would be used for Chihaya teasing, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss9WzohUse8
http://www.project-imas.com/wiki/Triple_Angel

This would be amazing, tbh. ACM version of Saihyou? Sign me up.

I did some thinking and if the outfits for the 10th anniversary live aren't in the new game I'll eat my hat.